Media Release: £75k donation to help aspiring entrepreneurs in the Borders

YOUNG entrepreneurs in the Scottish Borders are to benefit from a £75,000 windfall to help provide additional support to 18-25 year-olds who want to set up and sustain their own businesses.

The monies have been gifted to The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) by The Robertson Trust, an independent Scottish grant making trust established by the Robertson sisters who were brought up in the Scottish Borders.

They donated the shares in the businesses, founded and developed by their grandfather and father, establishing the Trust in 1961 for charitable purposes.

Since 2005, PSYBT has received over £250,000 from The Robertson Trust which has enabled PSYBT help hundreds of young 18-25 year-olds start up and continue in business.

This is the first time time young, aspiring entrepreneurs in the Scottish Borders are set to benefit.

The additional funds will be spread over three years and will enable PSYBT to help around 70 young people in the Scottish Borders, Orkney, Speyside and Drumchapel.

“They were generous during their lifetime and it’s wonderful to see their generosity continuing through The Robertson Trust.

“PSYBT supports a thriving young business community in the Borders and I am delighted that we will be able to create further business start-up opportunities for our young people thanks to The Robertson Trust and this very generous donation.”

CASE STUDY 1

Two young entrepreneurs who have been able to fulfil their self employment ambitions with help from PSYBT are Jacob and Bethany Martin, founders of Les Amis d’Onno (The friends of Onno) in Jedburgh.

They launched the equine entertainments business in 2009 running a horse display team which they have trained to perform various tricks for agricultural shows and medieval fairs.

Jacob and Bethany grew up spending their time between their homes in France and the Borders but settled in Scotland when they were given the chance to take over their grandparent’s farm which was also a kennels business. The family farm is near Jedburgh and the farmland is used to graze and train the horses, while the kennels business continues to provide a steady income.

The hope is that as the business develops the pair can build a custom designed arena where they can stage equine entertainment shows as a focal point for corporate, wedding, banqueting and other events.

Explaining how PSYBT helped them get their equine business off the ground, Bethany said: “The team at PSYBT helped us to think much more commercially and strategically about how we were going to run our business.

“We have both been riding and performing in horse shows but the skills you need to establish and run a successful business are quite different and that’s where PSYBT’s advice and mentoring has really helped us.”

Les Amis d’Onno are performing at the Borders Festival of the Horse during the 18-30 May. See the festival website for further details or visit www.lesamisdonno.com

CASE STUDY 2

Former nursery nurses, Amy Clancy and Lisa Swanston, both 23, have also just received funding from PSYBT to open their own bridal shop in Galashiels, called LA Bridalwear.

The shop will cater for weddings, occasional wear and evening dresses and is due to open next week.

Lisa Swanston, who is also a young mum, said: “PSYBT have given us loads of good advice. They helped us organise the lease and they have provided us with the necessary funding. We have both always wanted to start our own business but never thought it was possible. PSYBT helped us to achieve our dream.”

For further information contact Margaret Gibson and Emma Fitzpatrick of PSYBT on 0141 248 4999. You can also check out the PSYBT website at www.psybt.org.uk.

NOTES TO EDITORS

In the year to March 2010 The Robertson Trust committed £9.7 million to 518 different charities. Donations totaling £9.2m were paid out in the year under review to 785 charities.

The Trust received a total of 720 eligible applications in the year to 31 March 2010 and of these 72 per cent received a donation from the Trust. Today, the Trust controls The Edrington Group, one of Scotland’s largest private companies in the Scotch whisky industry which owns the well known brands: The Famous Grouse, The Macallan, Highland Park and Cutty Sark. In 2008, it acquired a controlling interest in Brugal, a leading brand of rum produced in the Dominican Republic.